Recovery two
by Spartan036
Summary: AU. South Dakota has a lot of weight on her shoulder, affected by a memory part of an AI, her brother being handicapped, best friend gone rogue, being backstabbed, etc, etc...that is until she is tasked to undertake a mission involving the reds and blues.
1. Shattered

The red soldier walks in the halls of the base while being escorted by soldiers. Whatever attacked them wasn't human at all and its still burnt in his brain, the death, the blood, everything. He thought it would be over when the rescue came but it continued when it killed them all. Finally, it was over when more help arrived but he still couldn't get it out of his head. The base apparently belongs to some project.

He finally stops at the screen to reveal the councilor of project freelancer, Aiden Price.

"Thank you gentleman, would you please excuse us?" Aiden asks. The two soldiers walk away from them thus leaving the red soldier in the room. Nearby is a freelancer.

"You are private Walter Henderson, correct?" The man asks him.

"Yes sir!" Henderson replied to him with stress in his voice as his visage of professionalism is breaking now due to the sheer terror that's still in his brain.

"You can dispense with the formalities, Walter. Please feel comfortable to speak as candidly as you wish. Can you tell us what happened at your outpost, Walter?" Aiden asks.

"Yes Sir-ah, yes. I had been there about six months. Everything was pretty much like normal and one day this...ship...crashed." Walter answered while clearing his voice.

"I see. Is this the ship to which you are referring?" The hologram appears before Walter.

"Yeah. Yeah that's it." Walter answered.

"Please, tell me what was on the ship, Walter."

"I don't know. The blues got there first. They fought us off while they cleared it out. Took the stuff back to base. By the time we got a hold of it just seemed like a regular old transport. Our engineer said some of the wiring had been messed with but he didn't seem, you know, worried about it or nothing like that." Walter explained.

"Please Walter, define thing."

"The infection. The blues stopped fighting us. Some of them set up camp outside their base and trapped the rest of their team inside; blew up their comm tower for some reason. Their own comm tower...then they blew up ours. That's why we couldn't radio for help, we couldn't figure out why they would do that. After that, nothing. No word from them at all. The CO sent a squad over...all the blues were dead. They had killed each other." He continued.

"Why do you think they did that?"

"I don't know. They had torn the radios out of their helmets and dismantled their computers. The CO said they were trying to build something...but I saw all the stuff, no way! They were trying to break it. And there was another body in there too. Not a blue, somebody else. Actually, she looked like her." Walter turns to signal at the soldier.

"Don't worry about her for now, Walter. Please continue."

"We brought all the equipment back to base and brought it online. And that's when the infection started for us."

"The soldiers became...sick?"

"No. They just...they were different. Off. We could catch guys getting into areas they shouldn't get into. But the weird thing was, a guy would go crazy, act up, and then we would throw him in a cell, and he would be fine. One guy went missing and before he went, he called us all cockbites then we never saw him again. Then another guy would go nuts, disobey orders. Like trying to bring the comm tower back online even though we were told to leave it be. Maybe thy knew it was coming." Walter said.

"They knew what was coming?"

"At first we thought it was help. She ransacked blue base, searched all the bodies...then she came after us. Seemed focus on the guys that were infected. Eventually, she started killing everything." He explained.

"She? What does she look like?" She asks.

"She was light-ish blue and wearing a Spartan rogue helmet." Walter replied.

"Please, continue."

"And that was it. She moved fast, when we first saw it, and after blue base she was...she was different."

"In what way different?" She asks him.

"It looked like...it wasn't there. I don't know how to explain it." Walter begins to panic a little.

"That's alright, you've given us enough info for now. We're going to do everything we can to help you." She said while rolling her eyes underneath her helmet before Walter walks away.

"I had him under control."

"No, you kept taking it slow."

"Anyway agent South Dakota, what do you make of all this?" Aiden asks her.

"I think it sounds like exactly what I encountered with North...and him." South replied in a stern voice. She hasn't been the same ever since.

"Mhm."

"Except she's stronger now, and becoming more so all the time." She continued.

"Does that concern you?"

"It slightly pisses me off."

"You've been through a lot with this program, agent South Dakota. The Epsilon A.I. we assigned you-"

"Done with and discussed to death. I'm over it."

"Now your physical problems...because of your last encounter-"

"I'm better now, how about North?" South asks.

"He has a ruptured lung and can no longer walk." He explained to her.

"Well I'm doing _slightly_ better now. Mentally and physically."

"Our profile of you disagrees with your statement."

"Look, the last mission I ran against _her_ , I got shot in the back by my own partner who can't accept that she's _dead_ alongside my twin brother. So lets get to the _fucking_ point." South hurried.

"Agent York. We feel some...responsibility for that." A video shows York injuring South and North in the back.

"Yeah, you should. If York didn't have any good in him and left the healing unit, we'd be dead now. So while this isn't deal and I don't feel like sticking my neck out for you guys, if it puts me on a path that leads to her, you trust me at least that far." South negotiated.

"So you would say that you have overwhelming feelings of anger, and a need for revenge?" Aiden asks.

"More than you know."

"Excellent. Now that our agency is under investigation, the director feels it is important for us to be as open as possible. With each other. If our suspicions are correct, the Meta has made another addition: The Omega A.I." Aiden said.

"It was only Omega cause Tex got away."

"Yes, it was."

"The Meta doesn't leave much behind. It's gonna be hard to track. Especially how York is possibly in love with her. Bad chemistry if you ask me. What happened to Wash and Maine? I'd like to work with some old friends." South asks.

"They are on a mission to guard an alien diplomat and his son in a dig site. We also think the best place for you to start, would be the Omega's last known location. There soldiers there have the most experience with our program." Aiden replied.

"We do not like the term experts."

"Because no one really knows what our program is doing?"

"Lets just say the term expert is a little too...complimentary in this particular case. Do you still have your old suit of armor?" Aiden asks.

"Of course. Wait...why?"

* * *

Blood Gulch.

South looks at the base, blue base in particular and sighs.

" _Fucking_ South."


	2. Making rounds

Day prior to arrival.

South worriedly taps her feet in front of the communication booth, North isn't a freelancer anymore. Good news but at a cost, he can't walk anymore cause York's healing unit was half-assed and he was in a hurry to be with her or something. This will also mean that he'll have to adjust to civilian life. South always was jealous of North, even in his condition. Its not because he had an AI which was Theta, being better than her, stealing her spot on the leaderboard but its because he's free now. Free of project Freelancer. Everything. Theta appears beside South, he's recovering at the moment since he fragmented himself to make a decoy against the Meta after York offered him to her.

"Is he there?" Theta asks South. His voice is rather weak but he's getting there at the moment. To this day South took care of him and became a second mother to him. Good thing York didn't finish them off otherwise recovery would lose another freelancer.

"Just be patient." South replied to the AI. She contacted Wyoming earlier and he said that the meta took Gamma when he played dead, South always needed outside help. The screen flips up to reveal North in his wheelchair.

"South!" North called in a happy face as South smiled in response. He always was strong even in this kind of situation.

"North, what's up?" South asks in response. In terms of looks, South has drags on her eyes and a more tired and worn out appearance because of the Epsilon AI that was implanted in her head.

"Doing good, still can't feel my legs but they'll heal soon. Can't wait to get back on the field." North replied with a smile. In actuality, North has a small chance of making it back to the field nor having his legs healed.

"Yeah...say, Theta wants to see you." The AI appears beside South again.

"North, I missed you!" Theta cheered.

"I missed you too buddy. So how's South been treating you?" North asks his companion.

"Really well. She's very nice to me and always asks me on how I'm holding up ever since I fragmented myself. It hurts of course but I'm getting better." Theta replied as South makes a light chuckle.

"Hey Theta, can you log off for awhile? I need to speak to North in private." South called as Theta nodded.

"What's it about South?"

"Look...I just...I just wanted...I'm sorry." South apologized. Its not because she failed to save her brother, being a jealous brat and paid the price, shutting him out ever since the incident and borderline broke the unity they had together. Its all of the above.

"South, don't beat yourself over it. We...I didn't know York is capable of doing it too."

"I should've known something was wrong with him."

"We didn't know okay? He got to us and we fell for it, if anyone on who's to blame its him." North reasoned.

"But York was acting too nice! I should've saw through him but...damn...dammit." South cursed. She wished that she had wasted York the moment she noticed Delta was gone.

"Again, it wasn't our fault...it wasn't..." North replied.

"Anyway, I got an appointment again. Stay safe sis." North logs off. South sighs and goes to the next list, Tucker. The two didn't get along in the first place but as time went by, she began to respect him more and they became friendly with each other. In fact, he's the person she came out of the closet to. After that, they pretty much became the best of pals. The screen comes on.

"South? What's up?" Tucker cheered. In the background are humans and aliens working together also Wash using the computer nearby.

"Doing good, here to talk to Maine and Wash."

"Oh, Wash is behind me and Maine is playing some arm wrestle with the aliens here. Let me call them." Tucker turns around.

"Wash, Maine! Its South!" Tucker called causing the two to come on the screen.

"South, how are you holding up?" Maine asks.

"Doing good. I'll be sending Theta to you guys." South replied.

"But...why? Won't Carolina-I mean, the Meta come for us?" Wash continued.

"The desert is the last place she'd expect. Anyway, sending him now." Thea appears before South as she sighs to him.

"Look, the Meta only goes for heavily fortified bases and the desert is very hot to the point her air cooler will breakdown before she can get you. You'll be fine, Theta. Wash and Maine will take good care of you or Tucker." South assured the young AI.

"I...I kind of like being with you. Tucker seems...a little weird." Theta replied.

"He has great experience and he's like North if you get passed his stupid perverted exterior. He even has an alien baby." She answered.

"Wait...adopted?" Theta asks in confusion since the only way to have an alien baby is to adopt it.

"Its...very, very complicated aaaannnd you'll learn about it soon when you're ready. Sending you off." South pulls out the chip out of her helmet and installs Theta. The computer transfers Theta into another chip inside the mammoth and it gets out. Tucker grabs the chip containing Theta.

"Sup little guy!" Tucker greeted Theta.

"Okay Tucker, make sure you don't let Theta out of you're sight. Who knows what's out there." South advised.

"Gotcha. Say, can I look up-"

"No. Do that, I'll get Maine to maim the shit out of you." She promised.

"Okay, okay! I get it! Anyway, the other ambassador is coming. Got to go." Tucker logs off as South sighs. She grabs her battle rifle nearby and checks out the magazine, its full alright. South walks towards the entrance way to go on her mission.

* * *

Blood gulch outpost alpha.

South overlooks blue base. Its slightly worn down with gunshot and explosion marks, looks like its seen better days. Teleporters are active though and it appears to be no signs of life. She walks towards it to get a better look before activating her radio while aiming her rifle in case of ambush.

"Recovery two calling command. Recovery command." South said via radio. She walks towards the base and looks around it with a suspicious look on her eyes, something doesn't feel right.

"Go ahead recovery two, we read you." Command replied with some radio static.

"I'm at outpost 1A, looks deserted. See if you can find evidence where they all might-" Little does she know that a woman wearing yellow armor is standing in the entrance.

"Hey bitch what's with all the noise?! People are trying to sleep here!" The woman called out thus getting South's attention.

"Um...scratch that command. It appears I've found someone. Recovery two out." South corrected herself and puts away her battle rifle as the woman walks towards him.

"Ohh...man..." The woman whined.

"Hi, I'm agent South Dakota. This is blue base, correct?" South asks her. This woman looks easy to manipulate for her goals and looks drunk also.

"It was." She replied.

"Was?"

"Everybody's gone. Transferred. Something about this base being obsolete now or-"

"Right. Where did they do?"

"I don't know! All different places. Nobody told me anything."

"Well, I'm trying to locate people who have experience with the freelancer program."

"Freelancer? Is that the band we had here last night?"

"You had a party here? Why am I not surprised..."

"Yeah, I throw a rave every night. Charge five bucks a night. Last night, I made ten bucks. Oop, oop! Nice!"

"You used the base for raves? Hm..."

"What are you? Like a cop or something?"

"No."

"Cause if you are and I ask you. You have to tell me. That's totally a law or something."

"Not a cop bitch and that's not a real law also." South growled. This was a waste of her time...but this woman here looks like she'll get into trouble real soon. Who knows, the Meta will go after her.

"Well if you're not a real cop, how do you know its not a real law? Busted!" She replied.

"Well for starters you need to have a uniform to identify yourself as an officer which is common sense and also a vehicle of some sort to represent that you are indeed a cop. Now is there anyone here with a fucking brain?" The freelancer asks while clutching her rifle.

"Yeah, Like I'm going to tell you. I don't rat people out, COP!"

"Excuse me." South walks back to the tank nearby and activates her radio yet again to call command. She has an idea.

"Recovery two calling recovery command. Come in command."

"Read you loud and clear recovery two."

"Say, Connie. I found this girl all alone in blue base but she doesn't have experience with project freelancer though she does look like she'll get in trouble so I'm taking her with me for witness protection." South informed.

"South, the objective is to find people who have experience not witness protection. Plus I overheard the radio chat, she's a lost cause." Connie or formerly known as agent Virginia replied.

"Oh don't worry, I'll persuade her. Lesbian magic." South replied. The woman may look like a bimbo but she doesn't deserve death.

"...You better not be fucking her. Command out." Connie logs out before South turns to the woman and walks towards her before holstering her battle rifle and pistol also clearing her throat.

"Hey, sorry about calling you a bitch and flipping out and all...I...I've been through a rough week." South said while scratching the back of her helmet and lightly kicking the dirt. All part of the act.

"Oh yeah? How rough is it?"

"My real dad died in a car crash, my best friend left me, my mom married a new man who is an asshole and I made a new best friends but she disappeared five months ago before my other friend came back then we decided to find her and then I found out my other best friend was fucking a drug dealer. Yeah." She replied.

"Jeez...now _I_ feel like a total bitch. Sorry about calling you a cop and all." The woman replied.

"Say, you never told me you're name."

"Kaikaina Grif, Grif calls me Kai while others call me Sister." Sister replied.

"Well Sister, I need you to come with me. You're sorta not in the right position right now. There are assholes out there who think you know stuff about them but you don't and said assholes will and try to kill you." South replied.

"Okay, you seem kind of nice. So I'm coming with you. Also about you're previous question, there's an asshole old man at red base and his hot Spanish speaking gray guy." Sister answered before South and her walks towards red base. Unlike blue base, something ominous is going on inside it but South can't put her finger on the problem as she looks around. She turns to sister.

"Stay here." South commanded before readying her battle rifle while taking slow steps. It is then a cardboard cutout of a pink soldier appears.

"Halt, in the name of the red- *clears throat* I mean "lightish red army. This base is operating at full capacity. And if you come in here, you're gonna get in to a big uhn-uh slap-fight!" The voice yelled at South who grimaces underneath her helmet and continues walking.

"Oh _shit._ " She said while rolling her eyes.

"Don't come any further!" He warned before South walks again before another came up.

"This is your last warning, stay out! I love math!" South simply rips off the head of the cutout in calm rage before continuing to walk.

"Your only hope of survival is to kiss my commander's ass!" She further continues to walk and is stopped by another cutout but this time of an orange soldier with bullet holes and ash marks on it.

"And this is another warning: I know the other warning was supposed to be last, but I never listen to orders, 'cause I'm too lazy and stupid! And ugly. Did I mention ugly?"

"This is fucking stupid, I can tell already!" Another cutout appears before South to show a soldier aiming his shotgun.

"Yeah, freeze intruder! Stop yer intrudin' right there!" He ordered before South sighed in irritation.

"Who made these?" She asks.

"I did!" He replied before making South internally jump in fright.

"Wait, you're real!?"

"Of course I am. You fell for a classic misdirection. I still got it. Heh heh." He boasted before she sighs again. She got tricked by a sim trooper, most embarrassing moment in freelancer history.

"¿Esta todo bien aquí? (Everything okay there?)" A Spanish voice asks.

"We're fine, Lopez. Just caught myself a dirty Blue. How many does that make this week?" The man asks him.

"Uno."

"Yahtzee! We're on a hot streak!" He cheered before South makes an ahem at him as he turns around.

"I'm not a blue idiot. I'm from command." The soldier lowers his shotgun.

"Command, no kiddin'. I didn't think we were due for inspection." South remembered the records and found a name, Sarge but nothing else.

"Okay Sarge, the soldiers here-"

"How in Sam-hell do you know my name!? Who sent you!? The blues!?" Sarge accused her before raising his shotgun but South grabs his shotgun and takes it away from him.

"No, I looked at you're records. I was hoping you could tell me about the soldiers transferred out of this outpost." South replied before dismantling the shotgun but not breaking it.

"You mean Grif and Simmons? Those traitors. I told 'em not to go! The battle here isn't even over yet." Sarge replied to her.

"If you're talking about the yellow girl then she's under my protection and will be coming with me, period." South countered.

"So this means red team wins the war?" Sarge asks.

"More like will win the war, so tell me about the blue soldiers-I'll secure a cunning and ultra badass route of the blue team's retreat from the ever-so heroic red team. I promise." South bribed.

"Fine, fine. Lopez, give her the relocation ordered." Sarge ordered.

"Its...in Spanish." South observed.

"Yep, its a little hard to understand." South sighs before leaving with Sister as she signals her to come with her. They walk away from red base.

"Yeah that's right you dirty blue! Run away like the coward you are in that armor!" Sarge hollered in the distance as they walk away.

"Wait...you said routed! I don't see routing!" He said.

"What are you talking about this time!?" South replied in annoyance.

"You said routed! I don't see fear, humiliation, and embarrassment while retreating!" Sarge replied to her before looking at Sister then looking back at him. She sighs in order to play along. South hits Sister causing her to yelp in pain.

"Why did you hit me!? That really hurts..." Sister winced and whimpered before getting up.

"Much better!" They get away from red base via canyon cave and distance themselves from Sarge's sight. South stops as they make it to the warthog she was using to get there. She gets her med kit.

"Take off you're helmet."

"I'm okay, once I got in by a car in the face." Sister replied before South takes off her helmet thus catching her off guard as South does the same thing to assure Sister that she's human as a sign. She gets the rubbing alcohol and rubs it on the tampon to rub it on her cheek as time froze around the blue team member.

"Um...why are you blushing?"

"You're kinda hot...no offense."


End file.
